Last updated: August 2026
Most people buy more data than they use, or buy too little and pay out-of-bundle rates to make up the difference. Both are avoidable, because data consumption is fairly predictable once you know what actually drives it.
One thing dominates: video. Almost everything else is rounding error by comparison.
What uses data, roughly
These are approximations rather than exact figures, since they vary by app, device and quality settings. They are close enough to plan with.
| Activity | Approximate use per hour |
|---|---|
| Video streaming, 4K | Very high — several gigabytes |
| Video streaming, HD | High — roughly 1.5 to 3 GB |
| Video streaming, standard quality | Moderate — under 1 GB |
| Video calls | Moderate to high, depending on quality |
| Social media with autoplay video | Moderate — higher than people expect |
| Music streaming | Low — a fraction of video |
| Browsing, email, messaging | Very low |
| WhatsApp text and voice notes | Negligible |
The practical implication: if you do not stream video on mobile data, your needs are modest. If you do, that single activity determines your bundle size.
The most reliable method
Skip the estimating. Your provider’s app shows your actual consumption for recent months, and your phone’s settings show a breakdown by app.
- Check the last three months in your provider’s app.
- Take the highest month, not the average — you want the bundle to cover a heavy month.
- Add a small margin.
- Check which apps consumed most, in your phone’s data usage settings.
Three months matters because usage is seasonal. A December with more travel and less office WiFi looks very different from an ordinary month.
Two things that distort the picture
- WiFi availability. If most of your video happens on home or office WiFi, your mobile requirement is far smaller than your total consumption suggests. If you lose that WiFi — moving, changing jobs — your mobile need can jump sharply.
- Peak and off-peak splits. A large advertised allocation weighted toward overnight hours is not equivalent to a smaller all-day one. Check the split before comparing bundles.
How to use less without noticing much
- Lower video streaming quality in the app settings. This is by far the largest single lever.
- Turn off autoplay video in social apps.
- Restrict app updates and cloud backups to WiFi.
- Download rather than stream music and video over WiFi in advance.
Reducing streaming quality from high to standard typically cuts video data by more than half, and on a phone screen the visible difference is small.
Choosing a bundle
Buying slightly more than you need is usually cheaper than running out, because out-of-bundle rates are considerably higher than in-bundle. Ask whether out-of-bundle spend can be capped, and whether unused data rolls over.
If you consistently exceed a bundle, moving up a tier almost always costs less than repeated top-ups. See cheap data deals, data deals under R200 and data deals under R300.
For household use rather than a single device, a router package is usually better value per gigabyte. See home internet deals, LTE deals and 5G internet deals.
See also SIM only deals, data contract deals and how to choose a cellphone contract.
Frequently asked questions
How much data does the average person need?
There is no useful average, because video habits vary enormously. Someone who never streams on mobile data needs a fraction of what a regular streamer does.
What uses the most data?
Video streaming, by a wide margin, followed by video calls and social feeds with autoplay.
How do I check my actual usage?
Your provider’s app shows monthly consumption, and your phone’s settings show a per-app breakdown.
Should I buy extra to be safe?
Usually yes, since out-of-bundle rates are considerably higher than in-bundle. Ask whether spending can be capped.
Does WhatsApp use much data?
Text and voice notes use very little. Video calls and downloading media are what add up.
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Data consumption figures are approximations and vary by app, device and settings. Bundle structures and rates are set by each provider and change regularly.